Feeding of biscuits or other sweetmeats to chocolate enrobing machines and the like



Nov. 21, 1944. A. A. TUNLEY 2,363,211

FEEDING OF BISCUITS OR OTHER SWEETMEATS T0 CHOCOLATE ENROBING MACHINES AND THE LIKE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 11, 1942 I l l I I I l u ll.

" 3 land.

Nov. 21, 1944. A AQTUNLEY 2,363,211

FEEDING OF BISCOITS OR OTHER SWEE TMEATS TO CHOCOLATE ENROBING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 11, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 122,11 ezviar Nov. 21, 1944. LE 2363,21]

- FEEDING OF BISCUITS OR- OTHER SWEETMEATS TO CHOCOLATE ENROBING MACHINES AND THE LIKE 4' Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 11, 1942 'l' nozz/iol NOV. 21, 1944. TUNLEY 2,363,211 4 FEEDING 0F BISCUITS OR'OTHER SWEETMEA'IS TO CHOCOLATE ENROBING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 11, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Nov. 21,

FEEDING OF BISCUITS OR OTHER SWEET- MEATS T CHOCOLATE ENROBING MA- CHINES AND THE LIKE Allan Ashmead Tunley, Peter-borough, England,-

assignor to Baker Perkins Limited,

borough, England Peter- Application September 11, 1942, Serial No. 458,044

'In Great Britain September 24, 1941 6 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for feeding biscuits or other sweetmeats (hereinafter referred to as biscuits) from an oven orother source of supply to a chocolate enrobing or coat- An object of the invention is to provide an i apparatus adapted. to receive biscuits from an oven or other source from which they are discharged in a continuous train (of substantially equally spaced 'rowsor of indiscriminately spaced biscuits) and deliver such in batchesthat is to say in groups separated from one another by intervals which suitably divide the train into batches, to chocolateenrobin'g or coating machines and the like (hereinafter referred to as "enrobers) so that the batches of biscuits may be transferred from the enrober to separate plaques for cooling purposes, an aim of the" 111- vention being to provide a simple apparatus adapted to handle the biscuits without disturbing their relative position inthe batches. A further aim of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the above character in which vibration and noise are reduced to" a minimum, reciprocation of parts is eliminated and the difficulties attendant upon the employment of a series of co-operating endless bands for batching the biscuits in transfer from one band to another are overcome.

The invention consists in apparatus having a series of. biscuit batching aprons propelled at two 1 different rates, the slower rate being employed while an apron is receiving biscuits whilethe faster rate is employed to separate a filled apron from the following apronto form a batch space and while the biscuits are being discharged.

The invention also consists in apparatus having a'pair of tracking chain means travelling at different ratesand adapted to drive a series of biscuit batching aprons over a table from a feeding position to a discharging position, the arrangement being such that a filled apron is accelerated to space it from'an apron being filled, while beingdischarged, and in returning it to the feed position to cause its head to be overlapped by the tail, of the apron which precedes it at the slower rate in travelling to the feed end of the table and while being filled with biscuits.

In the accompanyin drawlngs-'-. j

Figures 1 and 1c together show in side elevation abatching app r tus according to the invention.

" Figure 2 is an end elevation; and

In carrying the invention into effect according to one convenient mode as described by way of example, a horizontal table I is provided over which a series of biscuit-carrying aprons or 5 plaques 2a, 2b, 2c, etc., are adapted to travel. The table may be of smooth metal or spaced bars i (see Figure 2) and is of a length appropriately longer than a single apron so that whilst one apron 2a is on the table another 2b is beginning to receive biscuits whilst a third 2c is discharging or finishing its discharge of biscuits already batched. Both ends of the table may b curved downwardly to facilitate the travel of the aprons around the ends of the table.

15. The aprons 2a, 2b, 2c each comprise a piece of canvas or other suitable flexible material somewhat longer than the length from front to rear of the batch it is intended to receive. The width of the apron is slightly greater than the width of the train of biscuits. The head of the apron is attached to a flat or other appropriately shaped driving bar 3 which projects laterally beyond the sides of the apron so that the projecting ends may be engaged by propelling lugs (which may '25 be of angular form) carried by chain traction means. The aprons are pulledup' on to the table around the curved feed endFandare traversed along the table to the delivery end D, where they are pulled downwardly over the curved delivery portion of the table and are carried back to the feed end of the machine along a track comprised of spaced longitudinal bars 4. These bars termisucceeded by a pair of bars 5 which support the apron bars 3 but allow the apron to trail freely so as to ensure the leading apron to lie outside or above the following apron as hereinafter described. The means for propelling the. aprons 2a, 2b, 2c

' comprise two pairs of traction chains 6, '1 travelling at different speeds and carrying a series of propelling lugs 8, 9 for engaging the driving bars 3 of the aprons. One pair of chains 6 (slow mov-v ing) has its upper lap extending parallel with and below the table I. At the feed and turning point F chain wheels ill'are provided and another pair of chain wheels I I is provided towards but not at the delivery turning point. The chain wheels I0 and Ii are mounted so thattheir axes he transversely of the table and position the chains 8 one on each side of the table I so that the propelling-lugs 8 of the chains I may engage the driving bars 3 of the aprons. The chains 6 travel parallel with the table throu h their upper "lapandontheirreturnlanpus amundguide nate at a point spaced from the feed end and are sprockets I2 and I3. The chain wheels III at the feed end and the guide sprockets I3 are adjust-- ably mounted for the purpose of adjusting the position of the lugs 8 relatively to the lugs 9 of the chains I. The slow moving chains 6 are adapted to travel at a rate corresponding with the rate of the travel of the oven or endless band supplying the biscuits to the feed end of the table and at a slower rate than the rate of travel of the enrober wire.

. The second (faster moving) pair of chains I passes around the chain-wheels I 4 at the delivery turning point D of the table and around guide chain wheels and I 6 below the table. From the guide return chain wheels I6 the chains I travel on an upward slope to guide chain wheels I8 which are disposed to the rear of the terminal chain wheel II of the chain 6 so that thechains 'I' have a short portion of the upper lap coinciding with the chains 6 to provide a change over point where the faster chain lugs 9 engage the bars 3 of the aprons and carry them forwardly away from theslowerchain lugs 8 so that the aprons are propelled at the accelerated rate.

The actual changeover occurs adjacent the chainthe same rate as the enrober wire, the proportionate rates of the faster and slower moving chains being such that when the faster moving lugs 9 pick up an apron bar 3 from the slower moving lugs 8 the rate of. advance of the apron is increased to such an extent thatthe 'last row of biscuits thereon is spaced from'the'foremost row ofthe next following apron by a distance which may be predetermined as appropriate for the batch interval.

The axes of the guide wheels Iii are coincident with the axes of the guide wheel I2 of the chains 6. V Atthis point a second change over occurs where the faster moving lugs 9 leave the apron bars 3 (onthe return journey) which are then caught up by the slower moving lugs 8. v

After discharge the aprons pass downwardly beneath the lower guide wheels I5 and then upwardly along an incline to the feeding end of the table. The apron supporting bars I are bent to confomi to the downward and upward inclined tracks.

, The proportions of. the track and length of apron are such that as the head of an apron reaches thechange over guide wheels I2 and IS the tail of the preceding apron falls down between the pair of bars 5 with a view to ensuring that the head of the apron as it reaches the turning point at the feed end of the table will be overlapped by the tail of the apron in front. The

aprons are propelled by the lugs 8 of the slower chain 6 for the greater part of their travel over the table and when the head of 'an apron is' approaching the delivery-end and the tail end has passed the loading point the lugs 9 of the faster chains I'catch up the driving bars 3 and take them from the lugs of the slower chains.

When the faster moving lugs 9 take charge of a traction bar 3 its apron is accelerated to the speed of the enrober wire and the biscuits are discharged as the apron isbent downwardly over the rounded delivery end D of the table and pro- I 3 leaving'the bar 3 to be engaged by the lugs 8 -=of the slower moving chain as they move down- .wardly around the wheels It. The slower moving aseaau disturbed in spacing during this operation. when an apron comes under the control of the lugs 9 of the fast moving chains the load carried on it is moved away bodily from that on the succeeding apron without disturbance of the relative position of the biscuits comprising the batch,-and the interval between the batches is determined by the extra distance travelled during the passage of the apron at the faster speed over the length-allowed.

Atthe feed and delivery end guides 25 and 26 are provided forguiding the bars of the aprons.

The drive to the chains 6 and I is taken from a drive shaft II on to a lay shaft 25, through.

bevel pinions I9, 20 to a shaft 2|. The shaft II is provided with the chain wheels I5 for driving the fast moving chains I. The shaft 2| drives an upper shaft 22 by chain and sprockets 23, 24, such upper shaft carryingthe chain wheels I I by which the slower moving chains 6. are driven.

- The aprons may discharge direct to the enrober or may deliver on to a short endless conveyor band or wire which passes over a knife edge .positioned closely adjacent the delivery end of the table. Thegap between the table and the band at the knife edge need notbe wider thanto aiford a suitable clearance for the passage of the delivering apron. The other end of the conveyor band discharges directly on to the enrober wire.

At the feed end an endless band feeds a continuous train of biscuits from an oven band or other continuous source of supply. The band at may overlap the plaques. Y

Where necessary, guide plates or guards. may be provided to maintain the aprons in their required track inpassing from the delivery to the feed end of the'table and below the delivery end a, shoe maybe mounted to press' upon the side edges of the apron so asto maintain the apron under suitable tension.

- driving the aprons at one rate whilst receiving- While the invention has been described in more I M. lied in other surroundings for splitting up, an

endless train into batches for delivering such to conveyors or machinery adapted to deal with the goods in the batch form, or for delivering .the batches to trays for collection, stacking or packing. 1 f

I claim:'

1. Apparatus for feeding biscuits from an'oven or other source of supply to a coating machine comprising a series of batching aprons mounted to travel through a closed circuit, said apronsadapted to receive biscuits from the supply and deliver them to the coating machine, means for biscuits, and meanslfor driving the aprons at a higher rate toseparate a filled apron fror'n'the following apron and while being discharged.

2 Apparatus for feeding biscuits from an oven or other source of supply to a coating machine comprising a series of hatching aprons mounted 7 porting the aprons between a feeding position and a discharge position, endless traction means, means for driving said traction means at one speed, a second endless traction means, means tor-driving said second traction means at a higher speed, means for driving the aprons by the slower moving traction means ,while receiving biscuits and means ior driving the aprons by the tester moving traction means to separate the aprons and while discharging biscuits.

3. Apparatus for feeding biscuits from an oven or other source oi supply to a coating machine comprising a series of batching aprons mounted to travel through a closed circuit, means for supporting the aprons between a feeding position and a discharge position, driving bars at the leading ends of the aprons, a pair oi endless tree-- .tion chains travelling in a path including the feeding position, means for driving said chains at one speed, lugs on the chains adapted to engage said bars for driving the aprons, a second pair l of endless traction chains travelling in a path including the discharge position, means for driv-- ing said second pair of chains at a speed higher than that of theflrst pair oi.' chains, lugs on the second pair oi chains adapted to engage said bars for driving the aprons at the higher slfied, the paths of the pairs at chains overlapping. at a position where the lugs'cn said faster moving chains remove the hare from control of the lugs oi thegslower moving chains. and at a second I position where the logo! the'iaster moving chains release the bars whereby the barsare engaged by the loss .on the slower moving chains;

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the slower moving chains pass over adjustable guide sprocket wheels, whereby the slower'moving lugs may be timed relatively to the faster moving lugs.

5.-Apparatu's as claimed in claim 3, wherein apron supporting spaced bars are provided between the discharge position and the position where the faster moving lugs leave the apron ct biscuits thereto.

driving bars, the aprons hanging freely between V such position and the feed position to ensure the trailing end oione apron overlapping the leading end 0! the succeeding 6. Apparatus for receiving articles from a con-- tinuous column and delivering them in batches,

comprisinga series of hatching aprons mounted to travel through a closed circuitpaflt an article receiving station, means 101' driving the aprons at one rate whilst receiving articles from said column, and means ior driving the aprons at a higher rate to rate a hlied apron from the iollowing apron and/while discharging a hatch of articles.

apron during the feeding 

